The New York Giants hope that Russell Wilson, at the very least, provides some veteran stability at quarterback after a turnstile at the position last season preceded former first-round pick Daniel Jones‘ Week 12 release.
Jones finished last in Air Yards in 2022, and the Giants offense during his time in New York often relied heavily on underneath routes or succumbed to the former first round pick absorbing 208 sacks often a result of holding onto the football for an eternity in the pocket.
That might be about to change, for the Giants’ offense, in a big way.
Wilson was clearly miscast in head coach Sean Payton’s system with the Denver Broncos, and briefly showed flashes last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers that he’s capable of turning back the clock to his level of play that powered a Super Bowl win with the Seattle Seahawks, before leveling off down the stretch and ultimately hitting free agency this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell though, the Giants’ offense might be set up for Wilson to further turn back the clock and ratchet up head coach Brian Daboll’s vertical passing game in 2025.
“Over the past three years, Russell Wilson has thrown 13.4% of his passes 20 or more yards downfield,” Barnwell points out, for ESPN. “The fourth-highest rate in football. Jameis Winston is just behind in sixth. Between them is Josh Allen, the quarterback New York coach Brian Daboll helped mold into a superstar in Buffalo.
“The Giants will throw deep more often, but can they do it effectively? There are reasons to think the personnel should make that easier. Darius Slayton has been stuck for years as the nominal deep threat in an offense that doesn’t throw deep often or well, so the addition of these downfield passers should play to his strengths. Malik Nabers can win at all levels, giving New York two receivers who can concern other teams as deep playmakers.”
By both the metrics, and the eye test, Wilson is at his most effective when pushing the ball deep downfield, an area that the Giants struggled mightily with, particularly before Nabers’ arrival in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Perhaps, the Giants now have the quarterback and the personnel at receiver to run Daboll’s system by launching the football deep downfield that they have lacked during his previous three seasons.
Russell Wilson Already Getting on Same Page with Top WRs
Al Bello | Getty New York Giants QB Russell Wilson may be primed to elevate Brian Daboll’s offense in ways Daniel Jones never could.
Connecting on deep balls this season starts with Wilson connecting with his top playmakers and pass catchers this offseason.
As the Giants begin minicamp, Wilson has a simple philosophy when it comes to getting acclimated with a new set of targets in the passing game, that he’s had to deploy now making three stops with three teams over the past four seasons.
“I always say that playing quarterback is throwing the ball so they can catch it,” Wilson told reporters. “It’s like, when you think about it, I’ve always thought about this, even when I was young and went to the combine, for example, guys can get in their head about not throwing to certain guys, or whatever it may be, because I haven’t thrown to this guy before, or whatever. And I’d just be like that’s our job. Throw it to them so they can catch it.
“So, to me it’s always like I think the work ethic of our guys is what sets the tone. And I think (wide receivers) Coach (Mike) Groh does a great job in that room, just the work ethic of our receivers, their diligence.”
Meanwhile, Having Slayton, whose 18.7 yards average depth of target ranked 18th in the NFL last season and Nabers’ field-stretching ability while finishing seventh in the league with 1,204 receiving yards as a rookie, might just elevate Wilson’s game long enough to not just boost the Giants offense but keep first-round rookie Jaxson Dart on the bench.
“The time we spent in the offseason has paid off,” Wilson said. “The time that they’ve worked in their walkthroughs, all the way to how they’ve approached that to, obviously, our approach in practice.
“And the speed that they play with. You saw (Darius) Slayton catch that bomb today, I threw it to him, and just his ability to make plays down the field. Jalin, I’m really excited about him and what he’s done so far. Obviously, Wan’Dale, his ability. Nabers is, obviously, one of the best in the game, if not the best in the game, in what he does.”
Jaxson Dart Excited to be Working with Giants’ Russell Wilson
Adam Hunger | Getty New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart gets to learn from veteran, Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson.
How well Wilson is capable of executing Daboll’s offense and how prolific the Giants wind up being this fall will go a long way towards determining how long No. 25 overall pick, Jaxson Dart, will be relegating to holding a clipboard and learning from the veteran.
Dart, who developed the reputation as a bit of a gunslinger during his collegiate career at Ole Miss says he’s already learned a lot from Wilson this spring.
“I think that when you come into a situation like this, first of all,” Dart said recently. I’m in a super special position to be able to learn from guys like Russ (Wilson), Jameis (Winston), and Tommy (DeVito), guys who have competed at the highest level.”
Russ winning the Super Bowl, and, you know, to kind of pick their brains each and every day has been awesome for me, especially for how young I am. But I think that my focus right now is to try to develop each and every day and do whatever I can to make the team better, and I just want to win. I can’t stand losing, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes, to not let that happen. So whatever my role is, I’m gonna play the best way that I can.”
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